The
infamous Ealing Studios, which is renowned for some of the best loved
British comedies, celebrated its 100th birthday in 2002.
Will Barker, who was one of the earliest proponents of the moving
picture camera, founded the Studio in 1902. One of the great names
in British entertainment, Ealing Studios is famous around the world
as the home to the great Ealing comedies of the 1940's and 1950's,
and is the oldest film studio in the world still in production.
Ealing
Studios put Ealing on the map culturally. The studio boasts some great
comedy classics the British Film industry has ever seen such as Kind
Hearts And Coronets - where Alec Guinness, left, played eight different
characters - The Lavender Hill Mob, The Ladykillers and Whiskey Galore.
The studios were taken over by the BBC in 1955, and bits of Ealing
started appearing in television programmes ranging from Doctor Who
to Monty Pyhton's Flying Circus.
One of Ealing Studio's latest productions was an adaptation of Oscar
Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest which boasts a cast such as
Dame Judi Dench, pictured below, Colin Firth and Rupert Everett.
The Importance of Being Earnest was the first film to be produced
at the studios for 43 years and is just the first of many major releases
to be made there in recent times.
As the art of film-making moves into the 21st century so do the
plans for the great Ealing Studios. The studios are being rebuilt
and redeveloped to house Europe's leading next generation studio.
Ealing Studios is redeveloping the 3.8 acre site in West London to
the cost of £50 million and work is already on the way to complete
the new state of the art film and television studios.
Sean Hinton, managing director at Ealing Studios said: "What we
always said we would do is two things when we bought Ealing Studios.
Firstly to rebuild and redevelop the studios so that it is a facility
that would serve film and television production for another 100 years
and secondly to re-launch Ealing Studios as a production company as
it was in the 1940s and 50s in the Hollywood sense. "
Related articles from the Ealing Times:
Film
studio gets comic talent back on stage
CHARACTER comedy comes back to the famous Ealing Studios in an attempt
to raise the profile of up-and-coming talent.
(published 5th September 2002)
Looking
for memories to celebrate Ealing comedies
A SPECIAL exhibition to re-launch Ealing Studios and commemorate its
centenary is to be showcased at Gunnersbury Park Museum and local
people are being invited to contribute.
(published 18th September 2002)
Film
festival for people of Ealing
BRITISH comedy will be celebrated as part of this years Ealing Film
Festival with special programmes and screenings of the best in home-grown
talent.
(published 5th September 2002)
Related links
Ealing
Film Studios
Ealing film studios website with info, history and contact details..
Ealing
Film Festival
Updates on this years film festival
Brit Movie
Dedicated to classic British films, cinema, movies, and film directors
